Five minutes with... Janine Williamson

by
WP |
12 Feb 2014

Janine Williamson is a senior advisor at William Buck Chartered Accountants and Advisors.

Why financial advice?
Good financial advice will guide you through every stage of life. It will help you pay off your mortgage faster, build up savings, reduce tax and protect you and your family through adequate insurance. And in the event of death, it makes sure your wealth is distributed according to your wishes. Financial advice is all about helping an individual or family gain financial freedom – by getting them to save and protect what they have.

How would you sum up advisers in three words?
Financial, relationship and counsellors.

How would you change the industry?
Get rid of the bad apples that bring the industry down.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Save 15% of your income.

What’s the most important thing an adviser can do to develop their business?
Be the best at what you do by providing quality financial advice and service to clients. Make sure your breadth of services covers those from a young age, right through to retirement, aged care and then death. A good referral base is important and a strong marketing plan.

If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
I would stay away from political games and concentrate on the bigger issues for Australia, focusing on creating jobs and building a better future for the country. This might be a bit hard to achieve in one day though!

What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today?
Keeping pace with regulation is a big challenge, as laws can change quickly and impact on the strategies you have in place for clients. The business costs to comply with reforms is also underestimated, which in turn makes it more expensive for clients to seek advice.

What has been the highlight of your career?
My highlights are ongoing – it is the kick I get out of seeing a client from one year to the next and their mortgage is reduced or their savings have increased.
It is also being there when things aren’t going well, such as helping with an insurance claim, providing assistance with aged care or in event of death or assisting with the estate administration.

If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?

Princess Diana - I always admired Princess Diana. She didn’t take advantage of her position – she didn’t have to do all the charity work, but she did.

Jimmy Barnes - I have been a fan of Jimmy Barnes since his Cold Chisel days so would love to meet him.

Mary MacKillop - She lived in an era that would have been very difficult and I admire what she for people and that she took on the powers that be of the church and did not give in.

Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in advice, I would be… doing volunteer work at animal shelters or for animals.